Electrical line clamp



Sept. 8, 1953 K. R. RUNDE ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

' ATTORNEY P 1953 K. R. RUNDE 2,651,766

I ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KENNETH R. Rum): BY

ATTORNEY FIG. 6.

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Kenneth R. Runde, Lemay,Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Application December 5, 1949, Serial No. 131,090

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical clamps and morespecifically to so-called parallel groove, hot line clamps of the typeadapted for use in attaching tap connections energized feeder lines, thepredominant object of the invention being to provide a clamp of thistype which is of such improved construction and arrangement that it iscapable of performing its intended function in an improved and moreeflicient manner than were the clamps heretofore employed for the samepurpose.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved clamp of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention. 1

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line I-'I of Fig. 6.

In the drawing, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely,two embodiments of the invention, A designates in Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive, the improved clamp generally. The clamp A comprises an upperjaw I and a lower jaw 2, said jaws having openings 3 formed therethroughthrough which the shank portion 4a of a bolt 4 is extended. The upperjaw is provided at its top face with a pair of spaced, upstanding ribsIa, and a non-circular portion of the bolt shank 4a which is locatedimmediately beneath the head 4?) of the bolt is disposed between theseribs, whereby rotation of the bolt is prevented, the lower face of thebolt head contacting with top face portions of said ribs. Mounted on thescrewthreaded shank portion 4a of the bolt 4 is a jaw operating member 5which comprises a tubular portion 5a that is provided with internalscrewthreads for screwthreaded engagement with the screwthreads of thebolt shank, said tubular portion 5a having an annular flange 5b at itsupper end which engages a spring washer 50 that engages a standardwasher 511, which contacts with the lower jaw 2. Also, the tubularportion of the operating memher 5 has an eye portion formed thereonwhich is adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool when it is desired torotate said operating member relative to the bolt shank in applying theclamp to an overhead conductor.

The upper jaw I is provided with a seat 6 which extends from side toside of said upper jaw at the lower face thereof, and the lower jaw isprovided with a seat I that is related to the seat 6 of the upper jawand which extends from side to side of said lower jaw at the upper facethereof, said seats 6 and I being movable with the jaws I and Ztowardeach other to clampingly engage an electrical conductor 0 extendedbetween said seats. Also, the upper jaw I is provided with a seat 8 atits lower face, and the lower jaw 2 is provided with a seat 9 at itsupper face which is related to said seat 8 of the upper jaw I, saidseats 8 and 9 being extended from side to side of said jaws. The upperjaw I has formed thereon an ear I0 which extends outwardly from saidupper jaw, and the lower jaw 2 has formed thereon a similar ear II, saidears I0 and II being provided with apertures formed therethrough throughwhich the elongated shank portion of a bolt I2 is extended. The bolt I2is provided with a head I2 which is located at the lower end of saidbolt and is disposed a considerable distance beneath the ear I I of thelower jaw 2, and interposed between said ear II and the head of the bolt4 in embracing relation with respect to the shank portion of the bolt isa coil spring I3. The coil spring I3 is maintained in position undercompression with the opposite ends of said coil spring contacting with awasher I3 which contacts with the ear I I and with the bolt head 4,respectively. Also, the screwthreaded upper portion of the bolt shankhas screwthreadedly mounted thereon a nut I4 which engages the upperface of the car In of the upper jaw I.

The upper jaw I has formed thereon at the rear portion thereof a pair ofspaced, downwardly projected extensions I5 which are disposed atopposite sides of the ear II), the ear I I of the lower jaw 2 beingprojected through the space between said extensions and opposite edgeportions of the ear II of the lower jaw 2 contacting with the inneredges of said extensions whereby the ear II of the lower jaw ismaintained in proper alinement relative to the ear I0 of the upper jawI. Also, the upper jaw I is provided with opposed, side lugs I6 whichextend downwardly from said upper jaw at opposite sides thereof andnormally overlap the lower jaw 2, opposed side portions of the lower jaw2 contacting with the inner faces of said lugs whereby said lower jaw ismaintained in proper relation with respect to the upper jaw I.

In the use of the improved clamp disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,of the drawings, the operating member 5 is adjusted downwardly to arequired position and an end portion of a tap wire T, which is to beconnected to an overhead feeder line with the aid of the improved clamp,is forced between the seats 8 and 9, the coil spring I3 beingadditionally compressed by such introduction of the end portion of thetap wire between said seats 8 and 9, and said coil spring serving toforce said seats 8 and 9 into tight tripping engagement with theinterposed end portion of the tap wire whereby the tap wire is securelygripped by the rear portions of the jaws I and 2 of the clamp. With theforward portions of the jaws I and 2 in open positions as a result ofdownward adjustment of the operating mem-' her 5, the clamp is appliedto a suitable clamp; stick and is elevated to the position of theoverhead conductor to which the clamp is to be applied, the forwardportion of the upper jaw I being passed over the conductor to bring theseat 6 of the upper jaw into contact with an upper portion of theconductor C. The operating member 5 is then rotated with the aid of theclamp stick so as to adjust said operating member upwardly relative tothe shank portion of the bolt 4, thereby moving the jaws I and 2 towardeach other and causing the conductor C to be securely gripped betweenthe seats 6 and I of the jaws I and 2. It is to be noted that when theoperating member 5 is adjusted downwardly, the coil spring I3 tends tomove the forward portion of the lower jaw 2 downwardly to its openposition with respect to the forward portion of the upper jaw I so thatthe clamp may be conveniently passed onto an overhead conductor, saidlower jaw being swung by the force exerted by said 0011 spring in apivotal manner about the end portion of the tap wire T, which isdisposed between the seats 8 and 9.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the present inventionaccording to which the upper jaw I! and the lower jaw l8 are ofsubstantially greater length than are the upper and. lower jaws I and 2of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The clampof Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a spaced pair of assemblies fordrawing the upper and lower toward each other; that is to say, the clampof Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a spaced pair of bolts I9 and each ofsaid bolts has screwthreadedly mounted thereon an operating member 25the pair of bolt and operating member assemblies of Figs. 6 and 7functioning just as does the bolt and operatin member assembly of Figs.1 to 5, inclusive, in drawing the jaws of the clamp toward each other.Also, the clamp of Figs. 6 and 7 includes a spaced pair of bolts 2Iwhich correspond with the bolt I2 of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, each ofsaid bolts 2| extending through alined apertures 22 formed through ears23 and 24 formed respectively on the upper jaw I7 and the lower jaw I8and each bolt 2! having a head ZIa at its lower end and a nut ZIb at itsupper end that engages a portion of the upper jaw I7. Also, a coilspring 26 is arranged in embracing relation with respect to a portion ofeach bolt 21, the opposite ends of said coil spring engaging the headZia of the bolt and a washer 21 which embraces the shank of the bolt andcontacts with the lower jaw of the clamp.

The clamp shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a coil spring 28 whoseopposite end portions are seated in cavities 29 and 30 formedrespectively in the upper jaw I! and the lower jaw I8.-. This coilspring 28 is a jaw-separating spring, being maintained under tensionbetween the jaws and serving, when the operating members are adjusteddownwardly, to move said jaws apart.

I claim:

1. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjustingmeans for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seatsformed on said upper and lower jaws adj acent to the forward portions ofsaid jaws, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jawsadjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed onsaid upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formedtherethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures forconnecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient meanscomprisin a coil spring associated with said elongated element fordrawing said rear portions of said jaws toward each other and moving theforward portion of said lower jaw away from the forward portion of saidupper jaw, said adjusting means including a bolt which extends betweenthe forward and rear related conductor seats formed on said upper andlower jaws.

2. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjustingmeans for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seatsformed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the forward portions ofsaid jaws, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jawsadjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed onsaid upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formedtherethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures forconnecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient meanscomprising a coil spring associated with said elongated element inembracing relation with respect thereto for drawing said rear portionsof said jaws toward each other and moving the forward Portion of saidlower jaw away from the forward portion of said upper jaw, saidadjusting means including a bolt which extends between the forward andrear related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws.

3. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjustingmeans for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seatsformed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the forward portions ofsaid jaws, related conductor seats formed. on said upper and lower jawsadjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed onsaid upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formedtherethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures forconnecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient meanscomprising a coil spring associated with said elongated element inembracing relation with respect thereto for drawing said rear portionsof said jaws toward each other, said elongated element being providedwith an abutment and said coil spring bearing at its opposite endsagainst said abutment and against the extended portion of said lower jawand moving the forward portion of said lower jaw away from the forwardportion of said upper jaw, said adjusting means including a bolt whichextends between the forward and rear related conductor seats formed onsaid upper and lower jaws.

KENNETH R. 'RUNDE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,040,620 Clark Oct. 8, 1912 1,172,604 Johnson Feb. 22, 19161,677,445 Hardos July 17, 1928 1,979,091 Alsaker et a1. Oct. 30, 19342,042,086 Aubert May 26, 1936 2,127,840 Church Aug. 23, 1938 2,200,380Bodendieck May 14, 1940

